Etymograph

English

Roman month

Roman month comes from German Römermonat.

  1. Germanc. 1650–presentRömermonat
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1796Roman month

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Germanc. 1650–presentRömermonat
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1796Roman month

Earliest quotation: 1796, State Papers Relative to the War Against: “On the 29th ult. the general aſſembly of the…”

Made of the words Roman + month

Latin Rōma ‘Rome’

Latin Rōmānus

Old French Romain

English Roman

Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s ‘moon’

Proto-Germanic *mēnōþs

Proto-West Germanic *mānōþ

Old English mōnaþ

Middle English mon(e)th

English month

The story

Translating German Römermonat, so called because the sum was originally paid in lieu of sending troops to accompany the King of the Holy Roman Empire on his journey to Rome to be crowned emperor, a journey calculated to take a certain number of months.

Every English word from German Römermonat

Today it means

noun A quantity of tax paid by electorates or other constituent states to the Holy Roman Empire. Abbreviated as RM.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / German Römermonat / Roman month

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